Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $483 a month against $1,525 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index
74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$483

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Karachi and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $483 per month in Karachi vs $1,525 in Istanbul, rent included.

Karachi $483
Istanbul $1,525

A couple spends around $754 per month in Karachi vs $2,390 in Istanbul, rent included.

Karachi $754
Istanbul $2,390

A family of three spends $1,025 per month in Karachi vs $3,256 in Istanbul, rent included.

Karachi $1,025
Istanbul $3,256

Karachi is about 68% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Karachi sits 64% below the global median, while Istanbul is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 585

$11.96 ₺592

-82.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.73 PKR 3,801

$57.2 ₺2,834

-76.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,531

$9.51 ₺471

-41.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 PKR 609

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 PKR 2,040

Cappuccino

$2.14 PKR 593

$4.40 ₺218

-51.36%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$1.75 ₺86.6

-77.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 PKR 77.7

$0.56 ₺27.57

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 ₺233

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₺304

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$1.24 ₺61.6

-27.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.95 ₺47.25

-42.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 333

$2.28 ₺113

-47.37%

Eggs

$1.25 PKR 346

$2.45 ₺121

-48.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 PKR 1,650

$10.56 ₺523

-43.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 883

$5.50 ₺272

-42.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.48 PKR 1,793

$21.65 ₺1,072

-70.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 344

$1.83 ₺90.6

-32.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 147

$2.29 ₺113

-76.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 284

$1.28 ₺63.4

-19.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$1.82 ₺90.1

-71.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 85.1

$0.66 ₺32.74

-53.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$0.63 ₺31.14

-50.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 PKR 113

$1.27 ₺62.8

-67.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 120

$0.56 ₺27.62

-21.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.31 PKR 362

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 369

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 670

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 PKR 508

$2.36 ₺117

-22.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 ₺642

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₺123

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₺174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 76.8

$0.82 ₺40.77

-65.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.81 PKR 2,716

$65.2 ₺3,228

-84.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 PKR 240

$1.33 ₺65.7

-34.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 204

$0.90 ₺44.60

-17.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 PKR 617

$10.91 ₺540

-79.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 PKR 383

$1.43 ₺70.7

-3.50%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.4K PKR 5.1M

$49.6K ₺2.5M

-62.98%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K PKR 7.3M

$43.2K ₺2.1M

-38.77%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$113 PKR 31.4K

$88.8 ₺4,395

27.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.12 PKR 1,694

$11.69 ₺579

-47.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.11 PKR 3,628

$16.09 ₺797

-18.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.78 PKR 6,029

$76.3 ₺3,776

-71.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.27 PKR 5,058

$22.72 ₺1,125

-19.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,179

$8.26 ₺409

-48.43%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$52.1 PKR 14.4K

$1,015 ₺50.2K

-94.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,941 PKR 537.3K

$25.8K ₺1.3M

-92.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.53 PKR 4,852

$53.3 ₺2,636

-67.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.88 PKR 6,332

$40.55 ₺2,008

-43.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 PKR 18.8K

$100 ₺4,956

-31.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.55 PKR 11.5K

$93.5 ₺4,630

-55.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.5K

$977 ₺48.4K

-87.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.2 PKR 20.3K

$627 ₺31.0K

-88.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 PKR 99.6K

$1,980 ₺98.0K

-81.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.1K

$1,147 ₺56.8K

-83.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,082 PKR 299.4K

$3,095 ₺153.2K

-65.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$474 PKR 131.2K

$1,787 ₺88.5K

-73.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.4K

$1,213 ₺60.1K

-84.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

40.69

-67.54%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Karachi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$133 27.4%

Istanbul

$117 7.6% 12% $16

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$102 21.1%

Istanbul

$263 17.2% 157% $160

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$73 15.2%

Istanbul

$627 41.1% 757% $554

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$68 14%

Istanbul

$129 8.5% 91.6% $62

Eating Out

Karachi

$62 12.8%

Istanbul

$222 14.6% 259% $160

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$30 6.3%

Istanbul

$93 6.1% 206% $62

Getting Around

Karachi

$15 3.2%

Istanbul

$74 4.9% 380% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Karachi versus $977 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 566% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Karachi versus $57.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $102 vs $263 – making Karachi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

06:20 6:20 AM

04:20 4:20 AM

2 h behind Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Karachi Istanbul 3,940 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
Istanbul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Karachi vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 216%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $725 per month in Karachi and $2,287 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karachi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $52.1 per month in Karachi and $1,015 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 157% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Karachi, where all-in costs run around $483, than in Istanbul at $1,525. In Karachi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karachi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Karachi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.